Where does Zubik stand?

By Michael Pound, Calkins Media

Monday

Jul 23, 2007 at 12:01 AM

Once the homecoming is done, the work for Bishop David Zubik will just be getting started.

Economy native Zubik, 57, will return to Pittsburgh in about 10 weeks to take over as the newly appointed bishop of the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese. It's easy to think of Zubik as a known quantity, especially to Beaver County's Catholics - his work at Quigley Catholic High School and the Sisters of St. Joseph in the 1980s and his frequent appearances here even while serving as a diocesan administrator through the 1990s until his appointment as bishop in Green Bay, Wis.

But working as a diocesan bishop is different from serving as vice principal of a Catholic high school, and when Zubik returns home in September, his plate will be full.

The good news? Several of the issues Zubik had to face while working in Green Bay will be familiar. Here's a look at how Zubik has addressed those issues while working in Wisconsin - and what Pittsburgh's Catholics might expect when he comes home.

'ONLY ONE CHURCH'

l The issue: Pope Benedict XVI caused a stir earlier this month by affirming his belief that the Roman Catholic Church was the only true Christian church and that Orthodox and Protestant denominations are "defective" or "not true churches."

"It is difficult to see how the title of 'Church' could be attributed to (Protestant denominations)," the document released by the Vatican said.

Reaction to the statement was swift and not favorable among Protestant and Orthodox leaders, despite a clarification that ecumenical efforts still remained a priority to the Catholic Church.

l Zubik's response: Asked about the pope's statement during his Pittsburgh news conference, Zubik said the statement, originally penned in 2000, was largely misunderstood.

"The first part of it is that Jesus is lord; he's the son of God, and he came to save us. That's something that all Christian churches recognize. That's nothing new.

"The second piece is that Jesus established a church before he left. He said go out and make disciples in all the nations.

"The third thing is that other Christian churches, in some mysterious way, also share in that truth. I think some people have tried to put a negative spin on it. But some saw it for what it is - a statement that recognizes the differences that exist among us, but also saw the respect for what we believe as the Catholic Church."

The pope's statement apparently didn't dissuade members of the Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania, a council of Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant religious leaders in the Pittsburgh area, from praising Zubik's appointment.

"(Zubik) has proven to be a competent priest and caring colleague to his peers both Catholic and from other denominations when he served in various capacities in the Pittsburgh Diocese," the Rev. Donald B. Green, the group's executive director, said in a statement. "We eagerly look forward to Bishop Zubik joining his ecumenical colleagues at the council table as we continue to be 'a unifying voice in the name of Jesus Christ for the mission of the Gospel and the wholeness of communities.' "

SEXUAL ABUSE BY CLERGY

l The issue: The widespread reports of sexual abuse by priests continues to rock the Catholic church in the United States, with the Catholic Diocese of Los Angeles just announcing days ago a $660 million settlement for victims of abuse there.

Neither Green Bay nor Pittsburgh was immune to the scandal. The John Jay College study, released in 2004, showed that 95 people in the Pittsburgh diocese had been abused between 1950 and 2002; those victims accused 51 members of the clergy of misconduct. In Green Bay, 59 victims made accusations against 35 clergy.

l Zubik's response: On Wednesday, Zubik declined to comment on the Los Angeles settlement, saying he didn't know its details. But, he said, he worked to ensure that the church in Green Bay rebuilt the trust it had lost in the scandal and would do the same here.

"We need to create safe environments, and Pittsburgh has an outstanding reputation there. The church also has a responsibility to respond to people who have in fact been victims."

Upon release of the John Jay study, Zubik offered to meet personally with anyone who felt that they had been victims of sexual abuse by members of the Green Bay clergy. He also established a page on the diocesan Web site that gives instruction on how to report incidents old and new. And Zubik wasn't afraid to take action when it was necessary: In 2005 he petitioned the Vatican to defrock a priest who had been convicted on criminal charges related to sexual abuse incidents in the 1970s; that request was granted.

Finally, in October, Zubik offered a prayer service of apology, intended for anyone who had been hurt by a representative of the church.

"I stand before you tonight as shepherd of the Church of Green Bay and embrace the presence of each of you, women and men, who come here tonight showing by your presence that somewhere, sometime in your life you have been hurt by someone who was entrusted to represent Jesus and his church, but failed to do so," Zubik said during the service. "I ask you - the church asks you - for forgiveness."

SHORTAGE OF CLERGY

l The issue: As Zubik pointed out in Wednesday's introduction, the Catholic Church's problem with a shortage of priests isn't unique to Pittsburgh or Green Bay. The church in Pittsburgh had 350 active priests in 1999 - even after a consolidation of parishes in the mid-1990s - and has just 282 active in the diocese now. Those 282 priests serve 214 parishes, but not all serve as parish priests. According to diocese figures, 195 parishes have a resident pastor, while the others are administered by priests who don't serve in the traditional pastoral role.

In Green Bay, the problem is even more startling. As of last year, there were 169 parishes in the Green Bay diocese but only 109 priests to serve them.

l Zubik's response: On Wednesday, Zubik put a positive spin on the problem, saying it gives church members - the laity - a chance to become more involved in their parish.

"I prefer to see it not as a matter of the glass being half empty but the glass being half full. I intend to see that the leadership of the church clearly involves the ordained but also involves the laity.

"We've seen for a long time that kind of involvement in the church in Pittsburgh, and I would see this as an exciting time for the church to continue to grow with the invitation of more and more people to come into leadership roles in the church."

In Green Bay, Zubik has permitted lay members to take on the role of parish director, who oversees the parish's finances, handles scheduling and conducts prayer services. Priests are still available to offer Mass and the associated sacraments, although in some cases services have had to be trimmed from the schedule to ensure priests can be present where they are needed.

A similar effort in Pittsburgh has started but on a smaller scale. After announcing a year ago it would begin appointing parish life directors to help with pastoral administrative duties, the diocese named its first - Sister Dorothy Pawlus - just a week ago.

Zubik has also pushed parishes in Green Bay to form clusters, where contiguous parishes share resources and improve efficiency. In announcing that plan in January, Zubik said: "The objective is to work together to strengthen ministries and deliver them in a more effective and affective way. If three or four parishes work together collaboratively, then the challenges are lessened. Alone, the work can seem formidable. Together, the work is far more manageable and more successful as people share a vision and support one another."

Michael Pound can be reached online at mpound@timesonline.com.

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